Singapore Army inducts Colt's Infantry Automatic Rifle

Singapore Army's new light machine gun. (Singapore Ministry of Defence/Janes)

The Singapore Army has initiated inducting Colt's Infantry Automatic Rifle 6940 (IAR6940) as its new section automatic weapon (SAW) to replace ST Engineering's 5.56 mm Ultimax 100 Mk2 light machine gun (LMG), which has been in service since 1982.

The service began induction of the IAR6940 LMGs – which were evaluated and procured in partnership with the state-owned Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) – in April, the Singapore Army said in a social media post on 20 May.

According to the Singapore Army, the IAR6940, locally termed as IAR6940E-SG, is a closed-bolt rifle that provides “enhanced lethality, improved ergonomics, and customisation to better suit the needs of our soldiers”.

The rifle is fitted with “new” sighting systems such as a red dot sight paired with a 3x magnifier scope, the Singapore Army said.

“The combination of these two sighting systems assists our soldiers to acquire targets more rapidly and accurately,” the service added. The rifle is also equipped with a multi-purpose laser aiming device (LAD), which has four modes: visible, infrared laser, infrared illuminator, and white-light torch, the service said.

“The various options enable our soldiers to operate more effectively in different combat scenarios,” it added.

The rifle is fitted with “several adjustable features to improve ergonomics and a Picatinny Rail, which allows the addition of new accessories”, the Singapore Army said. It has ambidextrous fire controls to allow both left- and right-handed soldiers to operate it, the service said. The IAR6940 is also equipped with a customisable foregrip and an adjustable butt-stock, the army added.